Working together with new mission advancement initiative, our Catholic schools will be Alive in Christ!

Posted on February 3, 2012 - 2:45pm

By Barbara Watkins

The time for discussion is over, and the time for action has begun.

On Feb. 2, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson presented at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Manchester his priorities for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the steps to be taken to achieve them.

Since his arrival in St. Louis, the archbishop has stressed that Catholic education is his first priority. Alive in Christ, his mission advancement initiative, was begun almost two years ago to strengthen and grow Catholic education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and grow Catholic schools here to be Alive in Christ.

From the beginning, Archbishop Carlson insisted that Catholic schools must be vibrant and growing, in their Catholic identity, their enrollment and their financial viability, while being strong instruments of evangelization, catechesis and social justice.

Now, with input from more than 3,000 people across the 11-county archdiocese and concentrated effort from members of the four mission advancement planning teams, the archbishop has made his decision on the steps to take to achieve his goals by 2018, the 200th anniversary of Catholic education in the St. Louis Archdiocese. Alive in Christ involves all schools. Although the parish assessment only includes elementary schools, a capital campaign and new archdiocesan foundation will seek additional funding for tuition assistance for high school students.